Friday, April 30, 2010

The Fisheries Industry Lawsuit

Today, Louisiana commercial fishermen and the Louisiana Environmental Action Network are seeking a declaratory judgment and injunctive relief in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, against British Petroleum, Halliburton, Transocean, Anadarko Petroleum, MOEX Offshore, Cameron International, and their subsidiaries regarding on-going damages these corporations’ actions are causing to the wetlands, waters, commercial fisheries and wildlife of Louisiana.

According to the suit, the following is being sought from the Defendants:

a) Declaratory judgment that Defendants are responsible for all damage to Louisiana’s wetland areas and waters caused by Defendants’ negligence; b) An injunction requiring removal of all oil from, and restoration of, Louisiana’s wetland areas and waters resulting from Defendants’ negligence; c) An injunction requiring comprehensive monitoring and testing of the waters of Louisiana that were impacted by oil as a result of Defendants’ negligence; d) An injunction requiring a long term abatement strategy and implementation to ensure recovery of Louisiana’s wetland areas and waters that were impacted by oil as a result of Defendants’ negligence; and e) An injunction requiring re-seeding of all oyster habitats in Plaquemines Parish and St. Bernard Parish which were impacted by oil as a result of Defendants’ negligence.

Attorney Stuart Smith, Val Exnicious, and Gladstone Jones are leading a legal team with vast experience in these types of cases. The 11 involved law firms prosecuting claims for those impacted are from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.The suit does not make any financial claims at this time, said Attorney Smith. The named plaintiffs are Ray Vath, a Louisiana oysterman, and Mary Lee Orr, Director, Louisiana Environmental Action Network Inc.

"We believe this event has the potential to be the largest environmental disaster in the history of America. Without any hesitation I can report that the lawyers from Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida who have joined together are ready to protect the interests of all those who have suffered and will continue to suffer as a result of this most unfortunate event, and like all Americans, we hope BP stops the leak soon," said Mr. Smith.“We have worked with these lawyers for years on oil and gas issues. This is terrifying. People need to see the human, economic and environmental costs involved,” said Ms Orr.The fisherman contend that 71 percent of all oysters consumed in the U.S. come from Louisiana oyster beds in the areas impacted by the oil spill caused by BP and its partners.

I hope to be taking a camera out Sunday with a shrimper as he desperately tries to haul in as much as he can before the entire industry is shut down. I will post that on Humid Beings next week along with some other video of how the spill is affecting the Fisheries industry. Stay Tuned.

1 comment:

Ron A from Ill. :: I hope BP and other oil companies have judgement against them and have to pay trillions to the fishing, shrimping, claming and any other thing or one related to the devastion that is accuring to individuals and their livily hood. big oil needs to be diciplend they have gotten rich off of all of us and had no reguard for the safety and well being of any one or thing {enviroment) make them pay big time.